When the Textile Service Industry Sustainability Award is awarded for the ninth year in a row, the Swedish Textile Service Association, in cooperation with Ecolab, recognizes two award winners who each contribute in their own way to increased sustainability within the industry.
Creating a sustainable laundry in Ystad
Entrepreneur Lars Larsson, from Ystad, is passionate about making Hemrex as sustainable a company as possible since 2014. Through the newly built laundry, completed in 2024, Lars has taken the full step from a traditional dry cleaner to a laundry that uses the latest technology for advanced laundry, utilizes energy optimization and produces almost all of the electricity for the business from 450 square meters of solar panels. Through his company, Lars also takes an active social commitment and supports initiatives for young people through local commitments and associations, and in addition supports Star for Life, which works for school children in southern Africa.
Energy advice for a changing market
Energy expert Christer Bäcker, through his specialization in the energy market and in finding purchasing strategies to secure long-term good prices for electricity and gas in a volatile market, has contributed with tireless energy to our members having the opportunity to achieve a stable price picture and thereby ensure sustainable economic sustainability. Through conscious choices, economic sustainability has gone hand in hand with ecological sustainability, as finite and climate-impacting fossil energy has been cost-effectively phased out towards renewable alternatives.
Extensive sustainability work
– We believe their commitment is an extraordinary reflection of the extensive sustainability work underway within the laundry and textile service industry. They take initiatives to meet both economic and ecological challenges and contribute through their interests to long-term sustainable industry development, says Michael Sandin, chairman of the Swedish Textile Service Association.
Honoring young water conservationist
The prize money is 5 kronor to each winner who has the opportunity to donate the sum. Christer Bäcker has decided to make a scholarship to the young water conservationist Edvin, 000 years old, who on his own initiative is working to restore a riverbed that is important for aquatic animals in Hälsingland.
Former laureates
- 2017 Pia Bergman, national coordinator against serious financial crime at the Swedish Tax Agency.
- 2018 Carl-Johan Björkman, entrepreneur Mr. Björkmans Entrance Mats.
- 2019 Schlemon Athoraya, contractor Örebro-Tvätt, and Kent Pettersson, contractor KåPI Tvätt in Bengtsfors.
- 2020 Jonas Olaison and Lena K Wiles, sustainability managers at Textilia and Elis respectively
- 2021 Peter Streijffert, contractor at Lindbytvätten on Öland.
- 2022 Jonny Hägerström, CEO TvNo, and Henry Eskola, National Key Account Manager at Scandbio.
- 2023 Anders Thorgaard, entrepreneur, visionary and owner of the textile service group Textilia.
- 2024 Susanne Beskow and Caroline von Post, entrepreneurs in the upcycling company Beskow von Post with a focus on workwear.
More about innovative and competitive textile service industry
The Swedish Textile Service Association is the Swedish industry organization and represents members in both laundry for private individuals and industrial laundry and textile services. The association conducts continuous work for an innovative and competitive laundry industry.
The member companies have approximately 5 500 employees and account for almost 90 percent of the industry's turnover of SEK 6,5 billion. The association's operations are driven by increased demands for customer benefit, quality, hygiene and climate and environmental efficiency. All members of the Swedish Textile Service Association are professional authorized businesses and undergo an annual inspection by the environmental consulting company Ensucon.
For further information
Michael Sandin, Chairman, tel. 0709 35 12 47
Daniel KarrholtCEO, tel. 0705 11 36 85
